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"Ugh"
I let out a painful groan as I attempted to move my body. Trying to breathe, a sharp pain in my chest triggered a cough that expelled something. Slowly trying to rise, I felt the ache in my joints. Amidst the pain, I coughed out water that had entered my lungs, triggering a gag reflex and causing me to vomit the contents of my stomach.
As my vision cleared, I became aware that I was seated upon a bed of pebbles. Stretching out before me, a flowing river captured my gaze. As recollections of past events flooded my mind, I gradually came to the realisation that I must have been carried to the riverbank by the force of the waters.
Guess who's alive? ME.
Backtracking to where it all began - I'm tagging along with my gang on a trek after conquering my med exams smart, right? So, we bump into these indigenous folks on our adventure.
Now, the rest of the gang is all "Woohoo, new friends!" Me? Nah, not feeling it. These indigenous buddies are all like, "Hey, join our tribe!" Cue the dramatic entrance of a skinny hill path. And guess who's bringing up the rear? Yep, me. And guess whose luck is straight out of a comedy show? Bingo, me again. They stumble, I splash - all thanks to my backpack weighing as much as a small car. Life's a funny one, ain't it?
Thirst got the better of me, pushing me to look for my bag. Did it take a swim too, along with me? I distinctly recall clutching it tightly before passing out in the water.
I examined my surroundings, and all I could discern was the flowing river, stretching as far as my eyes could see. I turned around to behold an array of towering trees constituting a dense forest. Despite craning my neck, the canopy obstructed the view of the tree tops. While I was taking in the details of the sorroundings, a splash of green caught my eye.
My bag.
Making my way over the pebbles, I finally reunited with my bag. A sigh of sweet relief escaped my lips as I inspected it for any battle scars.
Phew, no visible damages - jackpot! Now, this bag and its precious cargo practically cost me a fortune. Let's just say, my wallet is still in recovery mode. And get this - it's my trekking debut, so I was Mr. Prepared. I had everything but the kitchen sink in there, all set for my trekking adventure extravaganza!
I embarked on a quest for my phone, hoping to power it on. But alas, water must have found its way inside, for it remained unresponsive.
Disheartened, I set the device aside and shifted my focus towards locating my water bottle. As I took a grateful swig, the cool liquid cleansed my mouth, erasing the sour memory of the earlier stomach-emptying experience.
The surroundings had turned quite dim, casting a shroud of darkness. Startled, I swiftly adjusted my posture upon hearing a sound emerging from the nearby forest. Holding my position, I remained still, hoping to capture the sound again and identify its origin.
Since the sound didn't repeat, I promptly brushed it off, assuming it might have been a figment of my imagination playing tricks on me.
Oddly enough, darkness descended rapidly, turning the day into an inky blackness within an hour.
The only audible companion was the continuous rush of water. Simultaneously, the scent of damp earth and the forest filled my nostrils. Amid these conditions, I attempted, though not very successfully, to gather some dry leaves, stems, and bark. Despite the collection leaving me with a memento of bruises and scratches.
So there I was, not aiming to turn the forest into a barbecue party, but still trying to start a fire-you know, survival mode activated! Lucky for me, I had tossed a lighter into my bag while packing (good call, past me!).
After a bit of a tango with some leaves, sticks, and bark, it finally happened fire was officially on the guest list. And let's face it, that flaming buddy wasn't just going to keep me warm; it was going to be my forest DJ, scaring off any party-crashing animals with its dazzling beats of light.
Well, now it's time for some good ol' thinking.
First things first: where in the world am I? And guess what? I'm drawing a blank here - no idea whatsoever!
And next up on the thinking list: what on earth am I going to do now? Hmm, decisions, decisions. Let's see, how about going with the flow - literally?
I mean, rivers are like the original GPS, right? So, I'm thinking I'll just tag along with the river and hope it leads me to some friendly faces, like they always say about riverbanks and people.
And last but not least on the thinking spree: stomach rumbling, I realize I'm absolutely starving. Time to raid the backpack! Lo and behold, I strike gold - there's a stash of instant noodles, chocolate, and ramen packets.
Now, about these soaked clothes of mine - the ones I'd ingeniously tucked away in a cloth bag - those babies are getting a spa day tomorrow in the name of drying.
Lifesaver move: I whipped up some noodles using my trusty trekking jar and boiling water. Right now, my brain's a bit like a blank screen - nada going on up there. So, the main agenda?
Chomping down while warding off this chilly breeze that seems to think it's the star of the show. Seriously, what's the deal with this place? It's like someone flipped a switch and suddenly, bam, "cool mode" activated!
Everything's chill and collected, until guess who decides to make a comeback? Yep, the mysterious sound.
"Ugh" "Ugggh" " umgh"
Hold up, hold up! Suddenly, the forest's playlist went from spooky whispers to full-blown horror movie soundtrack. I'm talking about a legit groan - a deep, dude-style groan. What on earth? Seriously, what the heck is happening here?
I dive into my bag superhero-style, searching for my trusty hand knife.
Ouch! Note to self: knives have edges. A little cut isn't gonna ruin my mission, though. I shook off the pain, locked and loaded, and zeroed in on where that sneaky sound was throwing its party.
Oh, the classic dilemma - should I go all "white person exploring" and investigate? But hang on, my quarter South Asian instinct is giving me some serious side-eye, telling me to play it safe. Decisions, decisions - is it adventure time or retreat mode?
Hold on a sec - why's it always the same old story? Some spooky lady crooning a tune to drag people into the woods, where they become monster snacks?
But wait, hang on a minute - does that mean ladies get a different treatment? A ghostly guy with a deep groan, trying to reel them in? Guess the haunting world's keeping up with modern times, dishing out equal scares for everyone!
As I was busy amusing myself with these crazy thoughts, it hits me - I'm officially scared out of my wits now. Suddenly, rustling noises fill the air, Someone steps out. Yep, time to swap funny thoughts for "hide under a rock" mode!
I practically swallowed my breath, and guess what? My wild theory? Yep, turns out it might just be spot on.
☆where untamed meets unforgettably charming.
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